Crystal Structure of Ionic Compound Between Antiviral Drug Acyclovir and Complex Ruthenate(II)

Novel compound, (acvH)[trans-RuCl4(dmso-O)NO](1) (dmso-O is dimethylsulfoxide coordinated through oxygen atom), was isolated from the reaction between antiviral drug acyclovir (acv) and ruthenium precursor ((dmso)2H)[trans- RuCl4(dmso-O)NO](2). Crystal structure revealed that compound 1 is of ionic type, containing N(7) protonated acyclovir (acvH) which is not coordinated to the metal center. There is a distorted octahedral coordination around ruthenium( II) center in 1. Four chlorido ligands are lying in a plane, whereas dmso molecule and nitrosyl group (coordinated through nitrogen atom) are bonded in trans axial positions. In spite the fact that acv (which is nucleoside analogue) is protonated, a glycoside bond between N(9) and side chain remained intact.